Robe helps lift the Mask in South Africa

The second series of The Masked Singer SA was one of the most successful music TV shows of 2024, broadcast on SABC, and featuring an outstanding production lighting design created by two of the country’s most talented LDs, Ryan Lombard and Joshua Cutts, based around the core components of 150 Robe moving lights.

All technical production was supplied by Blond Productions for the series which was recorded at the Studios on Harley facility in Randburg, Greater Johannesburg.

Josh oversaw the lighting set up, programmed, and started off operating the run of shows as Ryan was busy with prior commitments, then Ryan took over once these were completed.

The Robe set up included 12 x ESPRITES, 12 x MMX Spots and 12 x 600E Beams, 48 x LEDBeam 100s, 12 x miniPointes, 24 x CycFX4s, six LEDWash 300s, 24 x LEDBeam 350s – newly purchased by Blond for the production – 12 x iSpiider wash-beams and four MegaPointes plus a RoboSpot system controlling selected ESPRITES.

The ESPRITES were a major element of the design, utilised to follow the artists during the performances, allowing Ryan and Josh to lower the general lighting levels and achieve a greater depth through multi-layered separation effects.

“I love ESPRITES for their brightness, colours including white range and for the general quality of light. They were also our essential ‘surgical’ front lights which also helped keep the giant scenic masks that were part of the set central to the action. We love these luminaires for the additional control they offer in a situation like this!,” Ryan stated.

The iSpiiders and LEDWash 300s were front light, used for audience washes and to create specific back and front light looks, sometimes augmented with LEDBeam 350s running in wash mode.

The LEDBeam 350s were also used as more traditional beams technology. MMX Spots are still among the hardest working fixtures in Blond’s inventory, and Ryan still really likes them. They were used for side light and nice dappled gobo work on the stage as well as to infill on the masks in some songs to enhance the projected images. “As always, they were a great multifunctional tool,” stated Ryan.

The 600E Beams were rigged strategically to fire beams in from the sides for extra effect, while the CycFX4s provided additional rear eye-candy and pixel effects behind the audience. miniPointes were positioned behind the scenic masks where they created excellent visual effects when the masks opened, and these compact fixtures also generated general visual interest around the stage including beam-work.

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